The present invention is directed to a branching element which has at least three groups of waveguides which are arranged with two groups of waveguides extending in the same plane and at least one additional group of waveguides extending at an angle to the plane of the two aligned groups with the waveguides of the two aligned groups being separated by a common partially reflective layer that extends in a plane bisecting the angle between the additional waveguides and the two groups of aligned waveguides.
A branching element, which has a pair of axially aligned waveguides separated by a partially reflective layer extending in a plane of 45.degree. to the waveguide and has at least one additional waveguide extending perpendicular to the aligned waveguides and having an axis intersecting the axis of the pair of aligned waveguides in the plane of the reflective layer, is disclosed in copending U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 93,519, filed Nov. 13, 1979, which was based on German patent application No. P 28 51 679.2.